Chapter 684: The Xuanzhen Sect's High Regard (Part 2)

He didn’t dare to imagine the other possibility.

If Yang Jing had kept his talent hidden, or if his cultivation progress had been delayed by poor resource allocation, wasting his heaven-defying aptitude, then he, Ouyang Jingxuan, would have become a sinner for all ages—one who had hindered the sect’s future and stifled a peerless prodigy.

Even a hundred deaths wouldn’t be enough to atone for his crime.

Meanwhile, on one side of the grand hall, Qin Gang, the Peak Master of Zhenyue Peak, wore a complex, wistful expression. His gaze was locked firmly on Yang Jing, his brow furrowed with indescribable vexation. For the first time, an intense and irrepressible wave of regret washed over him, pricking at his conscience like a needle.

He remembered clearly that when new disciples were choosing their peaks, Yang Jing had personally come to his door with a letter of introduction from Junior Brother Sun. He had been just one step away from joining Zhenyue Peak and becoming his disciple.

Given the terrifying talent and potential Yang Jing was now displaying, if he had joined Zhenyue Peak, he would have undoubtedly become his Direct Disciple. He would have been the future pillar of Zhenyue Peak, capable of making it the undisputed, number one peak in the sect.

But back then, on the grounds that Yang Jing’s foundational talent was ordinary and his aptitude unremarkable, he had coldly turned him away. He had personally pushed away this future top prodigy.

If Yang Jing were just an ordinary genius, he would have, at most, laughed it off and not given it a second thought.

But ever since the Fushan tournament, when Yang Jing had tied for first place with Chu Yunhai and revealed his prodigious talent, his heart had been filled with mixed feelings, and a faint regret had already begun to sprout.

And now, Yang Jing had broken through to the Qi Absorption Realm in such a short time and without any difficulty. His talent and potential far exceeded anyone’s imagination, surpassing all other geniuses of his generation in the sect.

At this moment, Qin Gang truly understood just how foolish his decision had been. The regret was like a torrential flood, threatening to drown him completely.

…

At the head of the grand hall.

The Sect Leader of Xuanzhen Sect, Cao Zhen, sat on the main seat, his eyes shining brightly. He stared intently at Yang Jing as if he were looking at a priceless treasure, his aura fluctuating slightly with excitement.

In his eyes, Chu Yunhai was already a rare prodigy with a solid foundation and a bright future. He was destined to become a high-ranking member of the sect, perhaps even taking charge of his own peak.

But even so, compared to top prodigies like Chen Chu of the Yunxiao Sect—geniuses who could single-handedly determine the fate of their entire sect—Chu Yunhai still fell short. He could only be considered a core talent, not a talent capable of defining the sect’s destiny.

For the Xuanzhen Sect, which was in a gradual decline, a genius like Chu Yunhai was certainly welcome—the more, the better. However, he couldn’t fundamentally reverse the sect’s downturn, nor could he overwhelm the competition at the Jintai Grand Tournament to restore their prestige.

What the Xuanzhen Sect truly lacked, what it truly craved, was a top-tier, supreme genius. Someone who could act as a stabilizing force and single-handedly turn the tide. They needed a titan who could uphold the sect’s honor in the clashes between the five great sects and restore the Xuanzhen Sect’s place among the elite.

And Yang Jing, by breaking through to the Qi Absorption Realm at such an unbelievable speed, succeeding on his very first attempt, had shown a heaven-defying talent unprecedented in the sect’s history.

In the eyes of all the high-ranking members, he was precisely the top prodigy the Xuanzhen Sect had been dreaming of.

This was also why the sect’s upper echelon in the hall were so agitated, their minds reeling with excitement.

In their hearts, Yang Jing’s weight and importance to the Xuanzhen Sect had already surpassed that of any Peak’s Senior Brother or Senior Sister.

This included Chu Yunhai, upon whom the sect had previously placed such high hopes; he couldn’t even come close.

Seeing this, the Celestial Derivation Peak Master, Huang Zhen, turned to Chief Elder Ouyang Jingxuan beside him. With a smile that was both teasing and relieved, he quipped, “Elder Ouyang, how exactly did you conduct your assessment before? To think you’d overlook a True Dragon like him.”

Hearing this, Ouyang Jingxuan shook his head helplessly, his face a mixture of ruefulness and lingering fear. He said in a low voice, “It’s shameful to admit, but I nearly brought a great disaster upon our sect. I almost buried the future hope of our Xuanzhen Sect.”

Huang Zhen let out a hearty laugh and stopped his teasing. His gaze returned to the outstanding figure of Yang Jing in the hall, his eyes filled with curiosity and amazement. He mused slowly, “Now I’m exceptionally curious. What kind of astonishing talent does Yang Jing possess? Could it be a special gift that has never before appeared in history?”

“Or perhaps a top-tier talent or physique that has appeared in history but was never recorded? Otherwise, it would be impossible for him to have such a terrifying breakthrough speed.”

Hearing this, the nearby Thunder Peak Master, Lei Lie, also shook his head emphatically. His tone was tinged with disbelief. “I can’t see through his foundational talent or aptitude either. But without a doubt, he possesses a top-tier talent that far surpasses his peers. That much is certain.”

Ouyang Jingxuan’s expression still held a hint of lingering fear. He took a deep breath and lamented, “I never imagined that after so many years of dormancy, our Xuanzhen Sect would actually produce a top prodigy capable of turning things around.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he couldn’t help but let out a self-deprecating laugh, his tone filled with resignation over his past misjudgment. “And to think, a prodigy like this was almost held back by my own hands. If that had really happened, I would have been the sect’s greatest sinner for all time.”

The Xuanzhen Sect had been struggling with its decline for far too long. The entire sect, from top to bottom, desperately needed a top prodigy like this to emerge. They desperately needed a supreme genius to reverse their increasingly unfavorable situation.

This was the very situation that the entire upper echelon of the Xuanzhen Sect had longed for day and night.

At that moment, Peak Master Qingxu, Li Zhihai, looked at Ouyang Jingxuan and spoke with a solemn expression, “During your previous assessment, you judged Yang Jing’s potential to be inferior to Chu Yunhai’s. This caused him to miss out on becoming the sect’s number one potential seed, and he lost the resources and attention he deserved. That must have been a significant blow to him. You must make it up to him this time. We absolutely cannot afford to neglect him again.”

Ouyang Jingxuan immediately nodded with great solemnity, his tone exceptionally firm. “Of course. It is my duty to correct my mistakes. From now on, the sect’s efforts in cultivating Yang Jing will be prioritized above all other disciples. We will pour all our resources into helping him grow quickly.”